Top 10 Vines For Hummingbirds

Attract hummingbirds from the ground up with a few of their favorite flowering vines.

By Melinda Myers

If you want to grow vines,you might think you need a lot of space, but even if your planting area is limited, it’s still possible to cultivate vines in containers on your patio, deck or balcony. But no matter where you decide to plant these vines—in containers or right in the garden—place them where you’ll be able to enjoy the hummingbirds that will no doubt visit the nectar-filled blooms.

Trumpet Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens, Zones 4 to 9

Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees love native honeysuckle. Planting it in full sun or partial shade and moist soil will encourage the best flowering. The orange-red, trumpet-shaped flowers appear in clusters amongst the blue-green leaves, which persist through winter in southern states.

Why we love it: Unlike a lot of other plants, trumpet honeysuckle grows in clay soil and near black walnut trees.

Mandevilla

Mandevilla, Annual, Perennial in zones 10 to 11

A drought-tolerant vine that can be grown in a container, hanging basket or right in the garden, mandevilla thrives in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. You’ll find many new cultivars with white, pink, maroon, crimson and bicolor flowers.

Why we love it:You can overwinter mandevilla indoors in a warm, sunny location.

REDA &CO SRL/ ALAMY

Cup and Saucer Vine

Cobaea scandens, Annual, Perennial in zones 9 to 11

A vigorous grower, give this vine a sturdy support to climb and display its cup-shaped, aromatic flowers. The blooms open green and then mature to purple, lasting about four days. Grow in full sun and provide a bit of afternoon shade in hotter regions.

Why we love it:The flowers have a sweet musky fragrance and are reportedly pollinated by bats.

Scarlet Runner Bean

Phaseolus coccineus, Annual

Grow scarlet runner bean, a hummingbird favorite, in a sunny spot in your vegetable or flower garden. You can grow these long vines on a trellis, arbor or fence. Regular harvesting will keep the plant producing more pods and its scarlet flowers blossoming.

Why we love it:The red blooms will brighten the landscape and lure hummingbirds. Plus, the edible beans will amp up your veggie options.

Hugh Welford/ Alamy

Canary Creeper

Tropaeolum peregrinum, Annual, Perennial in zones 9 to 10

Take a close look at the bright yellow flowers and you’ll see the inspiration for the common name. Grow this climbing nasturtium in full sun to part shade with moist, well-drained soil. Allow it to scramble through other plants, train it on a trellis or grow it in a hanging basket.

Why we love it:The sunny yellow flowers are super showy and fragrant.

BLICKWINKEL/ Alamy

Candy Corn Plant

Manettia luteorubra, Annual, Perennial in zones 10 to 11

This noncaloric candy corn is fun for gardeners of all ages. The orange tubular flowers are tipped in yellow, making them look like the Halloween treat. Grow it in full sun to light shade and moist, well-drained soil.

Why we love it:When the outdoor weather is too harsh, the candy corn plant can be grown indoors as a houseplant.

Steffen Hauser / Botanikfoto / Alamy

Figwort

Asarina scandens, Annual, Perennial in zones 9 to 10

Brighten the summer and fall garden with the indigo, violet, pink or white flowers of figwort. Grow it in full sun to part shade on a trellis or allow the stems to spill over the edge of a hanging basket.

Why we love it:The flowers resemble snapdragons, which is why figwort is occasionally referred to as climbing snapdragon.

TKEMOT/ Shutterstock.com

Purple Passionflower

Passiflora incarnata, Zones 5 to 9

Its unique flowers make this vine a standout in a sunny spot in the garden or a container. You can even overwinter it as a houseplant. Also called maypop, this quick-spreading plant may need a bit of taming. Avoid using other species invasive to your area.

Why we love it: It’s native to the southeast U.S. and also attracts butterflies.

Tom Uhlman/ Alamy

Trumpet Vine

Campsis radicans, Zones 4 to 9

This is the most classic and well-known hummingbird vine. Native to the eastern U.S. and Canada, trumpet vine thrives in full sun and poor soils. Avoid excess fertilizer because it can prevent flowering. Plant it in confined areas or mow suckers to keep it in check. It’s important to note that it can be weedy or invasive in some southeastern states.

Hyacinth Bean Vine

Dolichos lablab, Annual, Perennial in zones 10 to 11

This purple beauty will quickly cover a trellis or fence and its green leaves, white, pink or purple-pink flowers and purple pods provide season-long color. Grow hyacinth bean in full sun to partial shade. Despite being an annual, it will often reseed in the garden.

Why we love it:The fragrant blooms are a treat for the senses. Plus, once it’s established, this plant is drought-tolerant.

RDA UK/Mark Winwood

3 tips for selecting proper vine supports

Always choose structures that can handle the vine’s weight and means of attachment.

Hi, I live in St. Paul, MN and have a Trumpet Honeysuckle. I have enjoyed it for the last 6 years and it is thriving! Tons of darling Hummers, butterflies and all sorts of bee’s! Fantastic worry free vine!

Have to agree with her. We planted one in Wichita, KS and it burrowed under “3” neighbors fences! I used weed killer AND chopped out what roots I could get to. Container might be the answer, but DON’T let it get into the surrounding soil.

UNC Charlotte sells the native honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens at their spring plant sale. Ask your local nurseries who carry native plants if they carry native honeysuckle. There are several nurseries up here in the Piedmont Triad area that carry it.

Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is not invasive, but Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) is very invasive, sprouting suckers in the middle of your yard, climbing up the side of your house, infiltrating anywhere it can with the invasive and incredibly fast spreading roots.

I see trumpet creeper all over the place here in North Alabama. It seems to be popping up like Mimosa trees. The ruby-throated hummingbirds prefer trumpet honeysuckle over trumpet creeper as well.

Great article but when I went to the link on Pinterest to pin the article you don’t even have one board set up there for B&B! Shame, you have so much on your website and magazines that would be great to share.

I have trumpet honeysuckle in my yard and I also plant scarlet runner beans every year just because the hummingbirds like them so much. I’ve found that they also visit my Blue Lake pole beans because they’re planted near the scarlet runner beans. I live in Idaho and theses are the only two of the listed vines that grow well in our climate.

I’m in Zone 5 Northern Illinois. The hummers love our Canna’s, Cypress vine (annual here) and Trumpet Vine the most. They also visit columbine, hyacinth bean, Butterfly bush and Penstemon. I think if we had more Penstemon (aka Cardinal Flower) they would visit it a lot more. The Trumpet Vine does send out sucker plants all over the surrounding lawn but we just mow over them. It requires a really good support.

Try Graham Thomas HONEYSUCKLE vine for Northern and Southern climates.
It is suppose to be more controllable than the invasive Hall’s Honeysuckle and will draw hummers. Bought mine (2 two-year old plants) from Joy Creek Nurseries in Oregon which is a reputable nursery with good sized plants. I live in South Carolina. Shipping is more expensive but well worth the price for their plants.
Beware the Trumpet Vines that have the word ‘radicans’ in it’s scientific name. Beautiful but will take over everywhere.
Morning glory vines can be invasive and are annuals even in SC but draw hummers. Might want to consider growing Phlox, petunias (the ‘wave’ series, an annual) bleeding hearts